Proteostasis in cellular dormancy: lessons from yeast to oocytes

Cellular dormancy is characterized by a prolonged, reversible cell cycle arrest and absence of growth. Dormancy allows organisms to endure unfavorable environmental conditions and to maintain long-lived quiescent progenitor cells essential for tissue homeostasis and reproduction. Protein homeostasis (proteostasis) is central to the maintenance of intracellular integrity in all cell types, particularly in long-lived, non-dividing cells. Here we review adaptations to support proteostasis in dormant cells and highlight common themes of cellular dormancy across organisms, from yeast to adult quiescent stem cells. We also feature vertebrate oocytes as an emerging model of proteostasis during dormancy. Together, these comparisons reveal common and unique strategies to sustain proteostasis during dormancy, offering insights into how cells preserve function and viability over long quiescence periods.